Gutter-type swimming pool construction

ABSTRACT

A swimming pool with a hand-hold and gutter lip comprising shaped pre-fabricated sections connected in end-to-end relation by telescoping connectors along the sidewalls and at the corners, each lip section being adjustably supported on screw jacks connected to the sections and mounted on the sidewalls on anchors installed at intervals according to a predetermined plan. Water from the gutter is returned to the pool through a corner connector having a return fitting communicating with the conduit in the lip, and through outlets drilled in the lip in selected locations.

Elnited @tates Patent 1 1 1111 3,8139% Spaulding June 4, 1974GUTTER-TYPE SWlMMING POOL 3,668,712 6/1972 Baker 4/172.17

CONSTRUCTION 3,668,714 6/1972 Baker 4/172.17

Inventor: Milton K. Spaulding, 2715 Excter PL, Santa Barbara, Calif.93105 Filed: Sept. 1, 1971 Appl. No.: 176,886

US. Cl. 4/l72.l8, 210/169 Int. Cl E04h 3/16, E04h 3/18 Field of Search4/l72.21, 172.15, 172.17,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 10/1962 Ross et a1. 4/172 5/1967Scarano 4/l72.l7 1/1968 Ellis 1 210/169 12/1970 Bishop 4/172.17

Primary Examiner-Henry K. Artis Attorney, Agent, or FirmForrest .l.Lilly [57] ABSTRACT A swimming pool with a hand-hold and gutter lipcomprising shaped pre-fabricated sections connected in end-to-endrelation by telescoping connectors along the sidewalls and at thecorners, each lip section being adjustably supported on screw jacksconnected to the sections and mounted on the sidewalls on anchorsinstalled at intervals according to a predetermined plan. Water from thegutter is returned to the pool through a corner connector having areturn fitting communicating with the conduit in the lip, and throughoutlets drilled in the lip in selected locations.

18 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures GUTTER-TYPE SWIMMING POOL CONSTRUCTIONBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to swimming poolsand, more particularly, to swimming pools of the type usually used forlarger, commercial installations and having a gutter extending aroundthe pool at the water level, defined in part by a lip or rim over whichwater is skimmed into the gutter. The gutter lip forms a hand-hold alongthe sidewalls of the pool, and also is made hollow and used as awater-return conduit for the circulation system of the pool.

In pools of this general character, the water which is skimmed over thehand-hold lip into the gutter flows along the latter to one or moredrains, through which the water flows out of the gutter and to thewatertreating and recirculating elements of the pool. These elements areused in various combinations, and typically include a pump, a filter,heating and chlorination elements, and sometimes a balancing tank inwhich water lost through evaporation and splashing may be replenished.The water is pumped through the filter and the heater and is returned tothe pool through the conduit in the gutter lip, which has a plurality ofspaced outlet openings along its inner side for directing the water injets into the pool.

Examples of prior pool constructions of this general type are found inUS. Pat. Nos. 2,932,387 and 3,319,264, the former showing a steel poolconstruction in which the lip is formed by pipes welded to platesforming the sidewalls of the pool and the bottom of the gutter, and thelatter showing a specially contoured, pre-cast coping assembly formed insections which define the entire gutter and the tops of the pool walls.These sections may be made of concrete, steel or the like, and areinstalled along the top of concrete or gunite sidewalls of the pool.

Gutter-type pools have several known advantages, includingfull-perimeter skimming, damping of wave action, simplified plumbing,and improved circulation with more even distribution of heat andchlorination, but have been relatively expensive and complex toconstruct and install with a commercially acceptable gutterconfiguration and with a gutter lip that is precisely horizontal aroundthe full perimter of the pool for a uniform skimming action around thepool.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention resides in an improvedswimming pool construction of the foregoing general character which ismore economical to construct and install, is applicable to any moderndeck and coping treatment, makes the installation and leveling of therecirculating gutter lip a relatively simple and inexpensive operation,and may be fabricated from parts that are stocked in quantity and easilyadapted to fit pools of all reasonably regular shapes.

More specifically, and as illustrated in the preferred embodiment shownherein, the pool is formed initially with sidewalls having uppersurfaces extending around the pool, and the gutter lip comprises aplurality of elongated tubular lip sections of preselectedcrosssectional shape disposed in end-to-end relation above the sidewallsand joined together by tubular connectors which telescope with the lipsections. The lip sections are mounted on the sidewalls of the pool bymeans of selectively adjustable screw jacks for leveling the lipsections precisely as necessary for uniform skimming, prior to groutingbeneath the lip sections and finishplastering of the pool, thusmaterially simplifying installation of the gutter rim and reducing theoverall cost of the pool. The screw jacks are connected to hold-downelements inside the lip sections, and are mounted on anchors fastened tothe sidewall at selected intervals in accordance with a predeterminedplan. I

Along the substantially straight walls of a pool, the preferredconnectors are short tube sections having the same outside size andshape as the inside of the lip sections, so as to fit snugly into twolip sections in internally overlapping relation with both. The lipsections preferably abut against each other to provide a smooth andvirtually continuous lip when installed and are secured to the connectorby sealant cement.

At the corners of the pool, the opposite end portions of the connectorsare mitered together at the angle of the corner, usually and the jointbetween them preferably is completed and covered by a coupling strapwhich is flush with the outside surfaces of the two adjacent lipsections when the latter are telescoped onto the connector, thuspreserving the smooth and seemingly continuous nature of the lip. Wateris introduced into the hollow lip through one of the corner connectorswhich, for this purpose, includes a pipe fitting projecting laterallyoutwardly, across the gutter, for connection to a return pipe embeddedinthe pool wall outside the gutter.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe following detailed description, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspectiveview, partly in cross-section, of a corner of a swimming pool equippedwith a skim gutter and hand-hold embodying the novel features of thepresent invention, the finish plaster and grouting being shown in brokenlines;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view takensubstantially along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1 after application of groutand finish plaster, and showing, in addition to a side section of thegutter, a drain for receiving water from the gutter and a corner inletunit for returning water to the pool throughthe handhold formed by thelip of the gutter;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-section taken longitudinallythrough the adjacent ends of two lip sections and the connector joiningthem together;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a corner connector for an inside corner;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the connector of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an outside corner connector;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the outside corner connector;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged perspective view of an anchor for securing a lipsection to a pool sidewall;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view showing opposite end portionsof a lip section in relation to two screw jacks and a hold-down elementpositioning the lip section on a pool sidewall, prior to grouting andfinish plastering of the area of the pool sidewall;

F [G is a side elevational view of an inside comer connector having areturn pipe fitting thereon;

FIG. 11 is a plan view of the corner connector of FIG. 10; and

FIG. 12 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating arepresentative water circulation system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION As shown in the drawings for purposes ofillustration, the invention is embodied in a swimming pool 10, only onecorner section of which is shown in FIG. 1, of the type having a gutter11 extending around the pool and bounded on one side, the inner sideadjacent the water, by a lip 12 which forms a hand-hold and alsofunctions as a skimmer over which water from the pool flows into thegutter. In addition, the lip 12 is made hollow to form an internalconduit 13 for receiving water from the usual recirculation elements andreturning the water to the pool through a plurality of inlet openings 14(see FIG. 2) spaced along the inner side of the lip.

While this type of gutter l1 and lip 12 may be used in various types ofpools, including so-called deck-level pools, the illustrative pool 10has a gutter trough that is recessed into the upper portion of thesidewalls 15 of the pool, beneath an overhanging coping 17 forming adeck 18 around the pool. Each sidewall has an upright inner surface 19,covered with a plaster coating 20 when the pool is complete, and asubstantially horizontal upper surface 21 on which the lip 12 is mountedas an upward extension of the sidewall. Outside or behind the lip, thepool sidewall has an outwardly facing surface 22 forming the inner wallof the gutter trough, an upwardly facing surface 23 forming the bottomof the trough, and an upright, inwardly facing surface 24 forming theoutside surface of the trough. The upper portion 25 of the outsidesurface is inclined inwardly to the underside of the coping 17, whichprojects inwardly in overhanging relation with the lip 12, andterminates close to the plane of the sidewall of the pool.

As shown in FIG. 2, a drain passage 27 opens upwardly into the gutter 11at a selected location along one side of the pool 10, and is covered bya perforated drain plate 28. The bottom 23 of the gutter trough isinclined,- longitudinally of the sidewalls of the pool, toward thisdrain from both sides thereof, so that water skimming over the lip 12and into the gutter will flow toward the drain and into the drainpassage 27. One drain usually is considered sufficient for anaveragesize pool of this type, but one or more additional drains, withappropriately inclined trough zones, may be added for larger pools.

Through the drain passage 27, water from the gutter 11 is delivered bygravity flow to the water treating and recirculating elements, typicallyincluding a filter 28 (see FIG. 12), a heater (not shown), and a pump29. In the representative schematic diagram of FIG. 12, the drainpassage is shown as connected to a balancing tank 30, also receivingwater from the pool 10 through a line 31 connected to a main drain 32located on the bottom 33 of the pool, and the pump 29 draws water fromthe balancing tank through a line 34 and a strainer 35, and forces thewater through the filter 28 and into a return line 37 leading back tothe pool.

An important advantage of this type of gutter construction is theability to return filtered and heated water to the pool 10 through theconduit 13 defined by the hollow lip 12. Thus, the return line 37extends across the gutter 11 and communicates with the conduit throughthe outside or rear wall of the lip, filling the lip with water underreturn pressure to enter the pool through the inlet openings 14. Tominimize currents adjacent the surface of the water, each inlet openingis inclined downwardly and inwardly to inject a downwardly inclined jetof water into the pool in the manner indicated by the arrows 38 in FIGS.2 and 12. These jets also can be useful in agitating solid particlestending to settle out on the bottom of the pool, thereby maintainingsuch particles in suspension for more effective removal from the waterby the filter 28.

In accordance with a primary aspect of the present invention, the lip 12comprises a series elongated, specially shaped tubular pipes forminglips sections 12a disposed in end-to-end relation around the pool abovethe upper surfaces 21 of the sidewalls l5, and supported and connectedin a novel manner for more rapid and economical installation of the lipin properly leveled relation to insure substantially uniform skimmingaround the full perimeter of the pool. To these ends, anchors 39 arefastened to the surfaces 21 at selected intervals around the pool, andeach lip section is mounted on these anchors by jacks 40 (FIGS. 2 and 9)for rapidly and selectively adjusting the lip section to precisely thedesired position prior to grouting around the lip and finish plasteringof the pool walls. Adjacent lip sections are joined together by simpletelescoping connectors 41 which form sealed and inconspicuous jointsalong the straight sections of the pool, and angled connectors 42 and 43join the lip sections together at the corners of the pool.

With this arrangement, tubular lip sections 12a may be mass-producedeconomically of suitable material such as extruded plastic, fiberglas,re-shaped plastic tubing, or the like, preferably colored with suitableweather-resistance additives or coatings and made in standard lengthssuch as 10-foot sections. The lip may be installed rapidly andinexpensively in a given pool according to a prepared plan, each lipsection being leveled as an incident to its installation by means of theselectively adjustable jacks 40. The positions of the anchors 39required are to be specified in the plan in accordance with thepositions of pre-formed holes in the lip sections, so that installationof both the anchors and the lip sections is a rapid and simple operationnot requiring a high level of skill.

Various cross-sectional shapes may be used for the lip sections, theshape shown herein being preferred for effective skimming and theprovision of a safe and comfortable hand-hold. The shape has arelatively narrow, rounded upper side 44 (FIGS. 2 and 9), a verticalinner side 45, a downwardly and outwardly inclined outer side 47 and abroad base or bottom side 48 joined to the inclined outer side by ashort, upright outer side wall 49, and joined to the inner side by anupwardly and inwardly inclined wall 50 in which the outlet openings 14are formed.

As shown most clearly in FIGS. 2, 8 and 9, each an chor 39 is a smallstrap of sheet metal or other suitable material having a flat base 51(see FIG. 8) for lying against the supporting surface 21, leg 52extending upwardly at a right angle, and a right-angle tab 53 parallelto the base and offset upwardly therefrom and from the supportingsurface. For mounting of the anchor on the sidewall, two or more holes54 are formed in the base to receive nails or studs 55 (FIG. 2) that aredriven into the sidewall through the holes while each anchor is locatedin its selected position. This basically conventional fasteningtechnique permits rapid installation of anchors at the selectedintervals along the pool walls.

The preferred jacks 40 are formed by elongated screws 57 (FIG. 2) havingheads disposed inside the lip sections 12, shanks projecting downwardlythrough holes in each lip section spaced at the selected intervals andthrough slots 58 in the anchor tabs aligned with the holes in the lipsections, with two nuts 59 and 60 threaded onto the shank of each screwabove and below the anchor tab 53 and tightened against the anchor. Toposition a lip section on the screws, an elongated hold-down element 61,preferably a metal bar that is longitudinally relatively rigid, isinserted in each lip section with the heads of the screws above the barand the shanks passing through holes therein, and a third nut 62 isthreaded on each screw beneath the lip section and tightened against theunderside thereof to clamp the bottom wall of the lip section firmlybetween the bar and the nut.

With two or more such screw jacks 40 connected to each hold-down bar 61,inside each of the lip sections 120, the latter are precisely adjustableto selected levels simply by adjusting the levels of the intermediatenuts 59 while the lower nuts 60 remain spaced from the anchor tabs 53.The slots 58 are elongated longitudinally of the anchors, perpendicularto the pool wall, for easy lateral alignment of the lip sections withthe wall. After the desired level and alignment have been established,the lower nuts 60 are tightened to hold each lip section in place.

The screws 57 may be pre-installed on the hold-down bars 61 at theselected intervals, and secured in place as by tack-welding or the like.Then, prior to placement of a lip section, a hold-down bar shorter thanthe section is inserted in the section, the screws are fitted throughthe holes therein, and the two upper nuts 62 and 59 are threaded ontoeach screw to prepare the assembly for installation on the anchors 39.After the screws have been passed through the slots 58, the lip sectionis positioned and leveled, and the nuts 60 are tightened against theanchors.

As shown most clearly in FIG. 3, the connectors 41 for use alongstraight sidewalls of the pool 10 are tubular sleeves having outsidesurfaces sized and shaped to telescope snugly within the adjacent endportions of two lip sections 12a. To facilitate insertion of theseconnectors in the lip sections. the ends of the latter are internallybeveled, as indicated at 63. The ends of the connectors preferably arebeveled in the same manner. When installed, the connector extendsapproximately equal distances into each lip section and structurallyconnects the two, the ends of the sections either being butted togetheror being positioned with a very small gap, as shown in FIG. 3. To sealthe joint, the gap and space left between the bevels are filled with asuitable waterproof sealant cement 64 which also should be spread on theopposite end portions of the connector prior to installation, to bindthe lip sections together.

The same coupling technique is used at the corners of the pool but withconnectors 42 and 43 having opposite end portions joined together at thesame angle as the comer. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the connector 42 forthe usual inside corner of the type shown in FIG.

1 comprises two short end portions 65 of the same size andcross-sectional shape as the connector 41 of FIG. 3, but with theadjacent end disposed at 45 angles and joined together by a couplingstrap 67. These parts preferably are cast in one piece in a suitablemold.

The wall thickness of the coupling strap 67 preferably is the same asthe wall thickness of the lip sections 12a, so that the ends of the twosections at a comer of the pool may be angled to fit substantially flushagainst the strap when telescoped onto the connector 42. These jointsalso are completed with sealant cement.

The corner connector 43 shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 is formed in the samemanner, but for use on an outside corner where the pool walls meet at anangle of 270 rather than 90. The telescoping end portions 68 are joinedtogether by a strap 69 at the larger angle. In all other importantrespects, this comer connector may be the same as the inside cornerconnector 42.

While the water from the return line 37 may be introduced into theconduit 13 in the tubular lip sections 12a in various locations aroundthe pool 10, it is advantageous to do so at one or more corners ratherthan along a straight side of the pool. At a corner, the return canextend across the gutter trough unobtrusively, so as not to interferewith normal use of the hand-hold. In addition, the return can beconnected to a fitting 70 incorporated in a specially formed cornerconnection 71, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, serving both as a cornerconnector and as an inlet fitting.

In FIGS. 10 and 11, it will be seen that a special coupling sleeve 72connects the adjacent ends of the telescoping end portions 73 of theconnector which preferably is of one-piece molded construction. Thereturn fitting 70 is a generally cylindrical sleeve joined to the outerside of the corner connector, and is sized to telescope with the returnpipe 37 with a snug fit. The illustrative return fitting may be sizedfor connection to a 6-inch diameter return pipe, and preferably isoffset downwardly from the top 44 of the handhold to be out of the wayand inconspicuous when installed. The lower side of the fitting curvesupwardly at 74 (FIG. 10) to the level of the underside of the lipsections.

As before, the two lip sections 12a adjacent the corner are fitted overthe telescoping portions 73 of the connector 71, butted against thecoupling sleeve 72, and sealed and secured by sealant cement. The returnpipe 37 is connected to the fitting 70, and thus communicates with theconduit 13 on both sides of the corner connection.

Although the full installation procedure will be apparent from theforegoing to those skilled in the art, a summary of this procedure mayserve to emphasize more clearly the various features of the invention.Ini tially, the excavation for a pool is prepared, the gutter drain 27and main drain 32 are installed, with appropriate plumbing lines,reinforcing rods (not shown) are placed in position, a concrete floor 33is poured, and gunite sidewalls 15 are formed around the pool in abasically conventional fashion. With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, theguniting procedure is used to form roughfinished inside surfaces 19 onthe sidewalls, the upper supporting surfaces 21 thereon, and the variouswalls defining the gutter trough and extending upwardly to the coping17.

The upper supporting surfaces 21 are rodded, and their levels are shotto stretched positioning wires (not shown) set a selected distance belowthe desired water level, for example, 8 inches. The supporting surfacescan be held within about one-eighth of an inch or so of this levelwithout time-consuming care. During guniting, a hole is formed or cannedthrough the wall at the corner nearest the water-treating andrecirculation equipment, along a diagonal of the pool, to receive thereturn pipe 37.

Then the anchors 39 are installed along the supporting surfaces 21according to the plan, preferably using 2-foot centers for full-lengthpipe sections 120 and suitable variations near the corners where shortersections may be required. After an anchor has been positioned, thefasteners 55 are driven into the wall through the holes 54 in the basesthereof, using a conventional stud cartridge gun and thereby securingeach anchor in place.

Installation of the lip 12 preferably is begun at the inlet connector 71at one corner, and proceeds sectionby-section around the pool. Thereturn pipe 37 first is installed in the hole through the gunited wall,the inlet connection 71 is cemented to the return pipe, and a first lipsection 12a then is fitted on and cemented to the inlet connection. Withthe first lip section generally in position, a hold-down bar 61 withappropriately located screws 57 thereon is inserted into the lip sectionand the screws are inserted downwardly through the holes in theunderside of the section. Then the upper nuts 62 are tightened againstthe underside, and the intermediate nuts 59 are threaded onto thescrews. It should be noted that the hold-down elements, including thebars 6i, the screws 57 and the two nuts 62 and 59 may be pre-assembledon standard lengths of lip sections in a factory mass-productionoperation, leaving only the insertionof the screws in the anchors 39 andthe addition of the nuts 60 as in-the-field operations.

When the screws 57 are in place in the anchors 39, with one end of thelip section connected to a previously installed lip section or cornerconnector, the lip section is adjusted with its screw jacks 40 to theproper level, as determined with the usual sighting instrument, and isfixed in place after sliding the screw laterally along the slot 58 inthe anchor to position the lip section relative to the inner surface ofthe pool wall. At each corner, the last lip section leading to thecorner is cut to the correct length, a corner connector 42 or 43 isinstalled on the lip section, and the next lip section then is installedto extend along thenext wall of the pool, all in the foregoing manner.

After all of the lip sections 12a have been installed and leveled, andthe sealant cement has set, permanent filling material, such as grout,is applied to complete the hand-hold, filling in the space beneath thehandheld flush with the gunited inside surface 19 and also flush withthe inside wall 22 of the gutter trough, and preferably beveling thegrout to match the slope of the inclined wall 47 of the hand-hold lip.At the appropriate time, finish plaster is applied to the sidewalls 15,thus completing the pool walls. As shown in FIG. 2, this finish plasterpreferably is formed with an inside surface that is vertically alignedwith the vertical inside walls 45 of the lip sections 12a, and isbeveled inwardly at 75 adjacent the lip sections to leave a slight Vgroove immediately below the lip sections. The water return jets 38issue from the upper wall of this groove.

From the foregoing, it will be evident that the present inventionprovides a neat-appearing hand-hold and water-return lip for a gutter,and makes it possible to install and level the entire lip in aneconomical fashion using inexpensive mass-produced parts, all withoutsac rificing either performance or appearance of the lip.

It also will be apparent that, while a particular form of the inventionhas been illustrated and described, various modifications can be madewithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a swimming pool having upright sidewalls formed with generallyhorizontal upper surfaces extending around the pool, a hand-hold andwatercirculating gutter lip assembly having, in combination:

a plurality of elongated tubular plastic lip sections disposed inend-to-end relation around said pool above said upper surfaces, andhaving a preselected cross-sectional shape to form a hand-down andgutter rim;

telescoping tubular connectors joining the adjacent ends of said lipsections together in sealed relation to define a water-return conduitwithin said lip sections;

anchors spaced along said upper surfaces and secured thereto beneathsaid lip section and having openings therein that are elongated in adirection perpendicular to the pool sidewalls;

screws projecting downwardly from said sections through said anchorsopenings;

said abutments on said screws above said anchors engaging the undersidesof said lip sections and spacing said undersides above said uppersurfaces;

a hold-down element in each lip section, at least two of said screwsbeing connected to each hold-down element to clamp the latter againstthe bottom of the lip section and hold the lip section against theabutments on said screws;

means mounting each screw on its anchor for selective verticaladjustment to position said lip sections with the upper sides thereofhorizontal for uniform skimming of water over said lip sections and forlateral adjustment in said openings;

means for introducing water under pressure into said conduit;

and outlets spaced along said conduit to direct water therefrom into thepool.

2. The combination defined in claim 1 in which said screws heads abovesaid hold-down elements, said abutments are first nuts threaded intosaid bolts and tightened against the undersides of the lip sections, andsaid mounting means comprise additional nuts threaded onto said screwsabove and below said anchors and tightened to form screw jacks forlocking the screws in selected positions relative to said anchors.

3. The combination defined in claim 1 in which said hold-down elementsare elongated, longitudinally stiff bars shorter than the lip sectionsin which they are positioned.

4. The combination defined in claim 3 in which the anchors for each lipsection are spaced a preselected distance apart, and said screws aresecured to said bars in holes spaced said preselected distance apart,said lip sections having holes spaced said preselected distance apart toreceive said screws when said bars are inside said lip sections, wherebysaid bars and said screws may be pre-assembled to said lip sections forinstallation as units on said anchors.

5. The combination defined in claim 1 in which said anchors are securedto said sidewalls by studs driven into said upper surfaces.

6. The combination defined in claim 1 in which connectors are relativelyshort tubular pieces having opposite end portions of the same outsidesize and shape as the inside size and shape of said lip sections and arefitted snugly in telescoped relation with the opposite end portions ofsaid lip sections.

7. The combination defined in claim 6 in which said pool hassubstantially straight sidewalls meeting at corners, the connectorsalong said straight sidewalls being straight tubular sleeves and theconnectors at said corners having opposite end portions disposed at thesame angle as the corner.

8. The combination defined in claim 7 in which the opposite end portionsof said corner connectors are joined together by a joint strap formedwith an outside surface flush with the outside surfaces of the two lipsections telescoped onto said opposite said portions.

9. The combination defined in claim 7 in which said water-introducingmeans include at least one return pipe connected to one of said cornersections and extending laterally outwardly therefrom.

10. [n a swimming pool having upright sidewalls formed with generallyhorizontal upper surfaces extending around the pool, a hand-hold andwatercirculating gutter lip assembly having, in combination:

a plurality of elongated tubular lip sections of preselectedcross-sectional shape disposed in end-to-end relation around said poolabove said upper surfaces;

telescoping tubular connectors joining the adjacent ends of said lipsections together in sealed relation to define a water return conduitwithin said lip sec tions;

anchors spaced along said upper surfaces and secured thereto at selectedintervals beneath said lip sections;

selectively adjustable jacks mounted on said anchors and secured to saidlip sections to variably position, the latter on said anchors;

means for introducing water under pressure into said conduit;

and outlets in said lip sections spaced along said conduit to directwater therefrom into the pool.

11. The combination defined in claim 10 in which said jacks are screwssecured to elongated, relatively rigid bars in said lip sections andhaving first nuts tightened against the underside of said lip sections,and second and third nuts tightened against opposite sides of saidanchors.

12. The combination defined in claim 11 in which said screws extendthrough laterally elongated slots in said anchors.

13. The combination defined in claim 10 in which some of said connectorsare straight sleeves telescoped into opposite end portions of adjacentlip sections and cemented therein.

14. The combination defined in claim 13 in which some of said connectorscomprise two sleeve sections secured together at a preselected anglerelative to each other, and telescoped into the opposite end portions oftwo lip sections at a corner of said pool.

15. The combination defined in claim 14 in which one of said cornerconnectors has a fitting therein projecting outwardly for connection toa return pipe, and constituting the means for introducing water intosaid conduit.

16. In a swimming pool having upright sidewalls meeting at corners andformed with generally horizontal upper surfaces extending around thepool, a handhold and water-circulating gutter lip assembly having, incombination:

a plurality of elongated tubular lip sections of preselectedcross-sectional shape disposed in end-to-end relation around said poolalong said upper surfaces;

telescoping tubular connectors joining the adjacent ends of said lipsections together in sealed relation along said sidewalls;

corner connectors having opposite end portions joined together at theangles of said corners and telescoped with the lip sections leading tothe corners, thereby to complete a water-return conduit within said lipsections;

means mounting said lip sections on said side-walls in level relationwith the tops of said sections determining the vertical water level forthe pool; means for introducing water into said conduit;

and outlet openings in said lip sections spaced around said pool todirect water thereto.

17. The combination defined in claim 16 in which said corner connectorscomprise two telescoping end portions disposed at a preselected angle,and a coupling strap joining said end portions together, said couplingstrap being shaped to butt flush against two lip sections telescopedover said end portions.

18. The combination defined in claim 16 in which at least one of saidcomer connectors has an outwardly extending fitting thereon forconnection to a return pipe, constituting said water-introducing means.

1. In a swimming pool having upright sidewalls formed with generallyhorizontal upper surfaces extending around the pool, a hand-hold andwater-circulating gutter lip assembly having, in combination: aplurality of elongated tubular plastic lip sections disposed inend-to-end relation around said pool above said upper surfaces, andhaving a preselected cross-sectional shape to form a hand-down andgutter rim; telescoping tubular connectors joining the adjacent ends ofsaid lip sections together in sealed relation to define a waterreturnconduit within said lip sections; anchors spaced along said uppersurfaces and secured thereto beneath said lip section and havingopenings therein that are elongated in a direction perpendicular to thepool sidewalls; screws projecting downwardly from said sections throughsaid anchors openings; said abutments on said screws above said anchorsengaging the undersides of said lip sections and spacing said undersidesabove said upper surfaces; a hold-down element in each lip section, atleast two of said screws being connected to each hold-down element toclamp the latter against the bottom of the lip section and hold the lipsection against the abutments on said screws; means mounting each screwon its anchor for selective vertical adjustment to position said lipsections with the upper sides thereof horizontal for uniform skimming ofwater over said lip sections and for lateral adjustment in saidopenings; means for introducing water under pressure into said conduit;and outlets spaced along said conduit to direct water therefrom into thepool.
 2. The combination defined in claim 1 in which said screws headsabove said hold-down elements, said abutments are first nuts threadedinto said bolts and tightened against the undersides of the lipsections, and said mounting means comprise additional nuts threaded ontosaid screws above and below said anchors and tightened to form screwjacks for locking the screws in selected positions relative to saidanchors.
 3. The combination defined in claim 1 in which said hold-downelements are elongated, longitudinally stiff bars shorter than the lipsections in which tHey are positioned.
 4. The combination defined inclaim 3 in which the anchors for each lip section are spaced apreselected distance apart, and said screws are secured to said bars inholes spaced said preselected distance apart, said lip sections havingholes spaced said preselected distance apart to receive said screws whensaid bars are inside said lip sections, whereby said bars and saidscrews may be pre-assembled to said lip sections for installation asunits on said anchors.
 5. The combination defined in claim 1 in whichsaid anchors are secured to said sidewalls by studs driven into saidupper surfaces.
 6. The combination defined in claim 1 in whichconnectors are relatively short tubular pieces having opposite endportions of the same outside size and shape as the inside size and shapeof said lip sections and are fitted snugly in telescoped relation withthe opposite end portions of said lip sections.
 7. The combinationdefined in claim 6 in which said pool has substantially straightsidewalls meeting at corners, the connectors along said straightsidewalls being straight tubular sleeves and the connectors at saidcorners having opposite end portions disposed at the same angle as thecorner.
 8. The combination defined in claim 7 in which the opposite endportions of said corner connectors are joined together by a joint strapformed with an outside surface flush with the outside surfaces of thetwo lip sections telescoped onto said opposite said portions.
 9. Thecombination defined in claim 7 in which said water-introducing meansinclude at least one return pipe connected to one of said cornersections and extending laterally outwardly therefrom.
 10. In a swimmingpool having upright sidewalls formed with generally horizontal uppersurfaces extending around the pool, a hand-hold and water-circulatinggutter lip assembly having, in combination: a plurality of elongatedtubular lip sections of preselected cross-sectional shape disposed inend-to-end relation around said pool above said upper surfaces;telescoping tubular connectors joining the adjacent ends of said lipsections together in sealed relation to define a water return conduitwithin said lip sections; anchors spaced along said upper surfaces andsecured thereto at selected intervals beneath said lip sections;selectively adjustable jacks mounted on said anchors and secured to saidlip sections to variably position, the latter on said anchors; means forintroducing water under pressure into said conduit; and outlets in saidlip sections spaced along said conduit to direct water therefrom intothe pool.
 11. The combination defined in claim 10 in which said jacksare screws secured to elongated, relatively rigid bars in said lipsections and having first nuts tightened against the underside of saidlip sections, and second and third nuts tightened against opposite sidesof said anchors.
 12. The combination defined in claim 11 in which saidscrews extend through laterally elongated slots in said anchors.
 13. Thecombination defined in claim 10 in which some of said connectors arestraight sleeves telescoped into opposite end portions of adjacent lipsections and cemented therein.
 14. The combination defined in claim 13in which some of said connectors comprise two sleeve sections securedtogether at a preselected angle relative to each other, and telescopedinto the opposite end portions of two lip sections at a corner of saidpool.
 15. The combination defined in claim 14 in which one of saidcorner connectors has a fitting therein projecting outwardly forconnection to a return pipe, and constituting the means for introducingwater into said conduit.
 16. In a swimming pool having upright sidewallsmeeting at corners and formed with generally horizontal upper surfacesextending around the pool, a hand-hold and water-circulating gutter lipassembly having, in combination: a plurality of elongated tubular lipsections of preSelected cross-sectional shape disposed in end-to-endrelation around said pool along said upper surfaces; telescoping tubularconnectors joining the adjacent ends of said lip sections together insealed relation along said sidewalls; corner connectors having oppositeend portions joined together at the angles of said corners andtelescoped with the lip sections leading to the corners, thereby tocomplete a water-return conduit within said lip sections; means mountingsaid lip sections on said side-walls in level relation with the tops ofsaid sections determining the vertical water level for the pool; meansfor introducing water into said conduit; and outlet openings in said lipsections spaced around said pool to direct water thereto.
 17. Thecombination defined in claim 16 in which said corner connectors comprisetwo telescoping end portions disposed at a preselected angle, and acoupling strap joining said end portions together, said coupling strapbeing shaped to butt flush against two lip sections telescoped over saidend portions.
 18. The combination defined in claim 16 in which at leastone of said corner connectors has an outwardly extending fitting thereonfor connection to a return pipe, constituting said water-introducingmeans.